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Pelicans looking like clear winner of Anthony Davis deal
Los Angeles hosts New Orleans tonight and the game could show just how big the gap is between the two franchises while putting a stamp on who won the Anthony Davis trade.
When Davis got his wish and was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, it was supposed to bring excitement to an organization with a generational talent. The trade certainly did that... for the New Orleans Pelicans.
Los Angeles won its 17th NBA championship in 2020 with LeBron James and Davis, after the NBA restarted in the bubble of Orlando. With it being an optional tournament, that championship hits differently than one that would have been won under normal circumstances.
The Lakers (1-5, 14th in Western Conference) didn't sell its future for a championship at Epcot. The Davis trade was supposed to return the team to its glory days. It has instead reminded fans just how far this iteration of the Lakers is from dynasties led by Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant.
James has played in his fewest playoff games (27) over a four-year span in his career. Not even the Cavaliers in his first run with the organization wasted James' talents so badly.
If the Lakers lose tonight, they'll be 1-6. The season is a marathon, not a sprint, but Los Angeles hasn't even left the starting gate.
The New Orleans Pelicans (4-2, fifth in Western Conference) are thriving. Sports Illustrated named them the most exciting team in basketball before the season.
In exchange for Davis, the Pelicans received point guard Lonzo Ball, forwards Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart, as well as the Lakers' 2019 and 2022 first-round picks, the right to swap picks in the upcoming 2023 draft as well as an additional first-round pick in either 2024 or 2025, per The Sporting News.
Ingram won Most Improved Player after the 2019-20 season and is averaging 23.4 points on 46.5 percent shooting with the New Orleans Pelicans, per data from NBA.com.
Hart became a fan favorite in New Orleans, and he was enough of an asset to be a sticking point in the team's trade for guard C.J. McCollum.
The team exchanged Ball for guard Devonte Graham in separate sign-and-trade deals. per NBA.com. That hasn't necessarily been a great swap, but with Ball's unfortunate injury issues it's looking like the team made the right move by moving on from him.
Plus, Graham will always be fondly remembered in New Orleans for this amazing play last December.
Shai somehow tied the game with 1.4 on the clock... and Devonte' Graham won it for the @PelicansNBA with the CRAZY LONG DISTANCE #TissotBuzzerBeater! #ThisIsYourTime pic.twitter.com/D1jQ3tWSLx
— NBA (@NBA) December 16, 2021
Thanks to the trade, the Pelicans field one of the deepest rosters in basketball while the Lakers are arguably the thinnest.
The season already looks like a wash for Los Angeles. If the Lakers bottom out, the Davis trade will be even worse on opening night next year when Zion Williamson and Victor Wembanyama take the court together.
More must-reads:
- New Orleans Pelicans vs. Los Angeles Lakers prediction, pick, odds: LA finally off the schneid
- Anthony Davis Admits Back Is In ‘A Pretty Good Amount’ Of Pain But He’s Trying To Manage It
- The 'LeBron's championship teammates' quiz
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Lakers Star Seen as 'Surefire' First Trade Chip in Possible Giannis Antetokounmpo Deal
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Chicago Bears looking at bringing back familiar face at running back
The Chicago Bears don’t appear satisfied with their running back room with one week left to decide the 53-man roster. The Bears have until Aug. 26 to make their final cuts before preparing for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1. The Bears entered training camp with questions at running back. Veteran D’Andre Swift had a down year in 2024. Roschon Johnson isn’t a long-term solution, and seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai will have a steep learning curve when the regular season begins. The Chicago Bears worked out a former running back Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC, the Bears worked out running backs Royce Freeman, undrafted rookie Kylin James and former Carolina Panthers practice-squad player Dillon Johnson. Royce Freeman played with the Bears in 2024 Of the three, Freeman is the only running back with stats at the NFL level. Freeman, a third-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2018, has appeared in 79 games and started nine games. He’s rushed 471 times for 1,472 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Bears signed Freeman to the practice squad in December. He was then signed to the Los Angeles Rams practice squad in January. He last played a regular-season game in 2023, when he added 319 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games for the Rams. The Bears are signaling their need for a running back this summer. There are other options available in the trade market, as the Washington Commanders are shopping Brian Robinson Jr. during the preseason. More running backs will be available after other teams trim their rosters to 53 players, but they might not be the type of athletes to make a significant boost for the offense early in the regular season.
Aaron Judge seemed annoyed with Aaron Boone over troubling health update
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone offered a concerning update on Tuesday about Aaron Judge's recovery from an elbow injury, and the slugger did not seem thrilled about that. Judge returned to the Yankees' lineup on Aug. 5 following a 10-day stint on the injured list. The two-time American League MVP had a flexor strain in his throwing elbow, and he has been slotted in as New York's designated hitter since he returned. In an interview with WFAN on Tuesday morning, Boone said he does not believe that Judge will get back to "throwing like he normally does" at any point for the remainder of the season. Judge was caught off guard by his manager's remarks. Before Tuesday night's game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Judge told reporters that he is unsure of why Boone provided the pessimistic update. "I don’t know why he said that. He hasn’t seen me throw the past two weeks," Judge said. "I’m pretty confident I’ll get back to that.” Boone later admitted that he may have misspoken during the WFAN interview. Many were surprised by the apparent disconnect between Judge and Boone. It is possible that what Boone said in the initial interview was accurate, and Judge did not want that information to be made public. The alternative is that Boone is not completely up to speed on his best player's recovery from an injury, which would be a bad look for the manager. Judge is batting .333 with 39 home runs and 91 RBI this season. His bat is far more important to the Yankees than his glove, but he has struggled at the plate a bit since returning. Judge is batting just .229 with a .429 slugging percentage in 11 games since he came off the injured list.
Packers' blockbuster trade pitch adds Micah Parsons for huge price
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